Daily Archives: February 17, 2013

The honest-to-goodness original Emancipation Proclamation came to Nashville for a limited engagement, and since my cousin and I are dedicated history aficionados, we hit the road to see it. I would’ve snapped a photo, but…

Anyway, as an unexpected bonus, we got to see the Thirteenth Amendment, too. The Tennessee State Museum hosted these items as part of a special Civil War exhibit from the National Archives, and even if you don’t see the proclamation itself, the exhibition is still worth a visit. It uses NARA holdings to illustrate various subjects relating to the war, so you get a sense of the incredible variety and value of primary sources from the period as well as learning about the conflict itself. Check out Gordon Belt’s blog for some photos.

This was one of the most rewarding public history experiences I’ve had in a long time. Getting to see the proclamation was great, of course, but what I enjoyed almost as much was seeing the other visitors enjoy themselves. People of every age and background were there; the TSM was open late to accommodate the crowds, and as we left, the line of ticket holders and standbys was as long as it had been when we entered. While everyone waited to be admitted, the staff passed around handouts with transcriptions of the proclamation’s text, and visitors huddled in groups to read them, discussing particular passages and arguing over implications and meanings.